Carlo Ancelotti Says Napoli Need 'Patience' to Secure James Rodriguez Transfer

Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti has said "patience" will be required for the club to eventually sign Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez. 

The Colombia international spent the last two campaigns on loan at Bayern Munich, but the German giants opted against signing the player on a permanent deal at the end of the 2018-19 season.

Napoli have been the team linked most frequently in recent weeks, with Ancelotti having previously worked with James at Real Madrid and Bayern. Per Calciomercato, the Napoli boss has said he's hopeful a deal can be done:

"If James arrives, what role will he have? If he arrives I don't know. We hope so. I know him very well, he can play in all the midfield positions. At Real, I used him as a left midfielder, as a midfielder, or even on the right. Positioning is not a problem, he is adaptable, he plays in many positions.

"The important thing is that he puts the blue jersey on, the number on the back does not count. It takes, however, time and patience."

At the end of his loan spell, Bayern reflected on some of the player's best moments:

Ancelotti was also asked about the prospect of a possible move for Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi that would involve a swap with Lorenzo Insigne. "No, I would not," he said on that possibility. "Insigne is the captain of Napoli and we are all happy that he stays here."

Since starring at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, James' career has been full of ups and downs with both Bayern and Real Madrid.

While he was far from a regular for Bayern last season, James still showcased his creative talents when he did get onto the field:

In the right setup, James can be effective. Playing as a No. 10 with freedom, he's adept at unlocking the best defences in the game, with his passing range, long-distance shooting and dribbling ability making his influence tough to limit.

However, off the ball James' work rate leaves a lot to be desired and in a 4-3-3 system, which Zinedine Zidane has used at Real Madrid, there's no natural place for him.

Overall, Ancelotti has been a force for good for the Colombian, as James has been at his most productive when working under the Italian, per OptaPaolo:

Napoli will be seeking to bridge the gap to Juventus in the upcoming campaign and have already spent big on Greece international defender Kostas Manolas. However, if they are to chop down the 11-point advantage the Bianconeri had on them last term, you feel further investment is required.

If James was to come in and thrive under Ancelotti, he would give them a different edge in midfield. The prospect of the Colombian supplying the likes of Insigne, Dries Mertens and Arkadiusz Milik is something Napoli supporters will be rightly excited about.